“What’s wrong with Physics” is an interview with a relatively unknown quantum optics professor Chris Search. Horgan, the author and conductor of the interview, is more than credible for this interview. He has written multiple books on different topics and problems regarding science and directs the Center for Science Writings at the Stevens Institute of Technology. The questions he asks in this interview are mostly hard hitting and without fluff showing that he’s actually attempting to get some tangible response from Chris. Throughout the interview Horgan asks Chris about multiple disparaging problems going on in the Physics community. One such important and hotly debated topic is diversity within the Physics department of which Chris strongly believes there should be more but that there is relatively no change throughout the years as to its increase. The target audience of this interview is mostly students, faculty, researchers that are interested in science and physics and possibly even avid readers of scientific american. That is why the Horgan asks questions that would be known to people that are students or avid readers of scientific american such as, “If you were Physics Czar, would you pull the plug on any projects? Increase funding for any?” The point of this text is to get a high level physicists opinion on pressing matters happening within the community. However I think it is more telling of what Chris doesn’t say. He doesn’t talk about the problem of putting a paywall behind information which has plagued the scientific community for the past 20 years and instead says “war is good for physics”. He doesn’t talk about why there is such a lack of diversity in the field of Physics when asked about it. He doesn’t even make a case for the clear need for theoretical physics if we are to find a tangible way of measuring these so-called “immeasurable questions” as he refers to them. I think this instead points to the broader problem that because his life’s work is tied to an institution giving him funding he either cannot say much about things he really feels or refuses to feel them in the first place. The genre is an interview but it feels relatively one-sided. I think Horgan tried his best to get something interesting and something that would add to the conversation (or lack thereof for while trying to find articles on diversity in physics I could find relatively nothing) but is met with a brick wall or in this case a fat wallet. The questions he asked were hard hitting and necessary questions to ask, now more than ever, but I don’t know if the old dogs are the ones we should be hearing opinions from. 

Source: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/whats-wrong-with-physics/#

English 110: Freshman Composition 5BC2 [24980]

Instructor: Shamecca Harris

Andrey Musin 

Introductory Essay

Intended Major: Physics 

Preferred Pronouns: He/Him

Noticing the structure and depth of the syllabus and briefly comparing it with my other classes has given me something to look forward to and has emboldened my belief that English courses are highly rewarding. I believe it is important for me to relate that because of the current times the need of a haven where the ability to discuss difficult current issues and even more so a place to listen to those directly dealing with said issues is a fundamental instrument to our growth. That is what I gathered from a brief glance at the syllabus and what I believe this class will attempt to achieve. Nothing as far as uncertainty or anxiety has reached me however. 

As for the qualities of good writing, I frankly could not tell you. Indeed I wouldn’t be taking this course if that weren’t the case. However it seems to me that one who puts immense effort into something will without fail achieve some form of success and I think this case certainly applies to writing. A good hand on the pen makes for a fabulous translator of understanding. 

The most difficult aspect of writing to me has to be by far writing about something you have no passion or interest in. I remember a constant bartering system that I implemented with my teachers in every writing course I’ve ever taken to be able to weasel my way out of uninteresting topics. I do well however when I am invested in my work, when it matters to not just me but others, and when I know a sense of tangible growth will be resulted from the process. 

The human vehicle is a multi-fluctuating malleable system. I do not believe in limiting oneself just to please society or stay within its confines. Before setting on my path of becoming a theoretical physicist, I was enamored with the idea of writing something breathtaking. However dream’s never die but the people who dream them do due the uncontrollable flux that is time. So while my current goal is a PhD in Physics and I will trudge steadfast towards that, I will not throw away my dream of writing a body of work on meditation/philosophy/consciousness. In fact I will have my cake and eat it too for refusing to give myself more than one path to walk on because the words of another (being, society, institution) have jaded me is worse than having walked no path at all.